1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to furniture for an animal and in particular to a piece of furniture that has multiple configurations and may function in multiple ways to accommodate various desires of the animal at any stage of growth. More particularly, this invention describes a detachable and extendable ramp member attached to the furniture structure. The extendable ramp member allows the owner to vary the ramp length and thereby decrease the angle of inclination during the animal climb.
2. Background of the Invention
For many people, pet animals are members of the family. Some of these pets live inside the home with the owner and have many accessories designed especially for the animal. As with the “dog houses” kept in the yard, some of the furnishings provide a place for the animal to dwell as well as provide a storage place for the toys of the animal. One conventional piece of animal furniture is a bed. There have been many types of animal beds. These beds are available in various designs. Some of the designs include beds shaped as different types of animals. Many beds in the form of animal designs are made of a cushion material to facilitate animal comfort.
One animal bed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,065 and describes an animal bed that includes an annular bed frame defining an interior chamber. A perforated top wall is supported at its periphery by the bed frame to receive and support the animal above the chamber. The perforated top wall is composed of a non-woven fabric material to provide a hammock-like suspension for the animal and to permit small insects to fall through the top wall. The chamber is dimensioned to provide a space below the top wall sufficient to inhibit the insects from traveling upwardly through the top wall. An insect exterminating composition contained within the chamber receives the falling insects and destroys them.
U.S. Pat. No. d288,970 describes a combined animal bed and housing unit. This design has a bed mat resting on a storage unit. The bed also has a canopy covering the mat. The animal would rest on the mat and would be covered by the canopy.
Although the animal bed is a common piece of furniture for the inside pet, animals do more than just sleep. For indoor animals, there is a need for the animal to know when, where and how to “use the bathroom.” Cats usually have a litter box for waste. Many pets and owners have a system by which the pet is let out of the house on a periodic basis to relieve themselves. Pets also have toys with which they play. One particular thing some pets like to do is to climb up on the owner's bed. The climbing is necessary because many pets may not jump high enough to reach the surface of the bed in one jump. The climbing process results in the pet pulling and sometimes tearing the bed linen. Pets also do not stay the same size. As the pet grows, it is often necessary to replace a piece of animal furniture with a different type of furniture or a larger size of the same furniture.
With all of the different types of animal furniture that are available to accommodate the many needs of the pet and pet owner, there remains a need for a multiple function piece of animal furniture. The animal throughout the animal's life may use this piece of furniture. Basically, the piece of furniture may serve as an indoor dwelling for the animal. This piece of furniture could assist in “potty” training animals as well as other behavior training. The multiple function furniture piece may also have components that enable the animal to climb up the furniture and get into an owner's bed. Further, this furniture piece may serve as an elevated bed for larger animals.
For some younger and some older animals, climbing onto the furniture piece may be difficult. With the assistance of a ramp, the climb would be easier. However, in some instances the inclination angle of the ramp on the furniture piece may still be too steep for the animal to easily climb onto the furniture piece. There remains a need for a means to adjust the inclination angle of a ramp member such that an animal may easily climb the ramp member to the top of the furniture piece.